The present invention relates to solar roof systems and the method of producing same, and particularly to structural solar (energy collecting) roof panels. While solar panels in themselves have been known for many years, there has long been the need for a panel that is both economical to manufacture and to use. This points up the primary disadvantages of prior panels in that while some may have been efficient, the cost of that efficiency has been so high as to make them impractical. These high costs were the result of elaborate or complex designs, the use of expensive materials in the construction of the panel, the need for special support structure on the building to which the panels were to be mounted, or the inability to adapt the design of such panels to mass production techniques. Therefore, while the desirability of harnessing the sun's energy by use of solar panels has long been recognized, the ability to do so in a cost effective way has been a long existing problem.
Thus it is a primary object of this invention to provide a solar panel that is relatively inexpensive yet efficient, avoids the use of expensive materials, and is readily adaptable to large volume production. It is a further primary object of the invention to provide such a solar panel that is itself a structural part of the roof of the building to which it is mounted, replacing enough of the conventional construction materials to compensate for a significant part of the solar panel's cost. In other words, while it may be used solely as a collector, it is a feature of the panel of this invention that it may be an integral part of the roof structure system and is exceptionally easy to install.
It is a further primary object of the invention to provide panels which are generally the same in outward appearance and in the means for mounting as part of the roof structure, but which operationally are either air or liquid panels depending on the absorber used within the panel. Except for the differences in the absorber assemblies, the air and liquid panels are very nearly structurally the same, providing exceptional efficiency in their manufacture. Moreover, a purely structural roof panel with no absorber, but affording a high insulating value, is provided in accordance with this invention for compatibility with either the air or liquid panels using the same roof mounting technique and many of the same manufacturing techniques, again providing exceptional efficiency and low cost. This means that the manufacturing processes for producing the air panel, liquid panels, and structural panel greatly overlap so that the costs of manufacture of the three types of panels are relatively low. It also means that the air and structural panels, or liquid and structural panels, may be combined to provide a roofing system that can be installed quickly and easily, even as compared to conventional roofs without solar collecting capability, and yet is efficient in operation as a solar collector system and cost effective. Its ease and quickness of installation substantially reduce labor costs and contribute significantly to its cost effectiveness.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide air panels (or liquid panels) that are easily interconnected as part of a roof structure to provide a solar panel system that readily meets the individual needs of the customer. For example, the design of the air panel readily lends itself to several configurations of air inlets and outlets so that the panels can be interconnected in a variety of ways in accordance with the customer's capacity requirements.
It is still another object of the invention to provide solar panels of both the air and liquid type that are exceptionally reliable and trouble free over an extended period of use. The liquid panel is specifically designed to minimize any damage from corrosion or freezing or contamination of the liquid.
These and other objects of the invention are apparent from the drawing and detailed descriptions to follow.